Starting-gate.



Patented'l Mar. '26, IQUI.

A 2 Sheets--Sheet` l.

T. BARNETT.

STARTING GATE. 4

(Application led Dec. 5. 1800,)

(No Model.)

No. 670,578. Patented Mar. v2a, |901. T. BARNETT.

STARTING-GATE. (Application me@ Dec. 5` 1900.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l.; Nrrnn STATES Arent Friese.

STARTING-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,578, dated March 26, v1901.

Application filed December 5, 1900. 'serial No. 38,768. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS BARNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, in the State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting-Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine.

My invention relates to the class of starting-gates for race-tracks.

In devices of the class wherein the gate or barrier is made to move upwardly and away from the horses the barrier ends are mounted in fixed side guides or slides and travel up thereon. This construction is open to the objection of friction, the least amount of which, owing to the light character of the barrier andthe speed at which it must be elevated, is suflcient to render the operation uncertain, sometimes wholly checking or arresting the gate and often retarding its speed, in either case presenting a serious defect which is fatal to its use.

It is the object ot' my invention to overcome this difculty by providing an arrangement of the barrier and means for operating it which shall dispense entirely with the side guides or slides, thereby avoiding all friction and permitting the barrier to attain and maintain its highest speed.

My invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the startinggate, showing the barrier down to its position across the track. Fig. 2 is a side View of same. Fig. 3 is a detail plan to show the angular position of the arm on the post. Fig. 4 is a modification of the manner of carrying the barrier. y

A is the track, and B represents the side fences.

C represents posts in the line of the felices, one on each side. From each post extends outwardly away from the track the arm D.

E represents clips to whichthe ends of the barrier F are secured. To each clip is secured a spring G, the upper end of which leads to the top of side post C. To each clip is also secured a spring H, the upper end of which leads to the extremity of arm D.

I represents suitable triggers beside the track.

The operation of the gate as far as delscribedis as follows: The barrier-clips E are of posts C, in which position the barrier is elevated out of the way. The springs G are the lifting or elevating springs. It is obvious, however, that these springs have no tightening eect upon the barrier-an effect which is essential to prevent its center from sagging while lifting. The best barriers are made of tape and are as light as possible. Such a one I here show by F, which consists cfa cross-tape from which depend short tapes, thus giving to the barrier an appearance of subst-ance or solidity to satisfy the horses of its purpose. It is necessary that when in position the barrier shall be stretched tight across the track. This is attained in my gate by the clips E en gaging the triggers I; but as soon as released from the triggers the'springs G would not keep the barrier taut and it would sag in the middle and be liable to interfere with the horses. In the ordinary gates the barrier is kept taut during its elevation by means of side guides of some kind. These are usually Xed rails, bars, or wires, on which the barrier extremities-slide; but as I dispense with such slides, thereby avoiding the friction and the many accidents and disadvantageons incidents of their use,`it is necessary that I keep a tightening Aor stretching strain on my gate during its elevation by other means. This is the function of the springs I-I, which by their connection with the outwardly-project ing arms D exert a constant pull on the barrier in the direction ot' its, length, thereby7 keeping it taut or stretched all the way up. Thus I attain the main objects of my invention-namely-,dispensing with the side guides or slides, with their attendant friction and liability to impede free movement, and also keeping the barrier tightly stretched during its elevation.

Although any form of spring suitable to the purpose may be used and any arrangement of the springs may be adopted, I consider the best form and arrangement t'obe those here shown, in which the spring is in the form of an elastic string, cord, line, rope, or tube and in which the springs G and H form part of one continuous line, which is arranged as I shall now describe. One extremity of this elastic line or string is secured to a suitable bearing at g, thence it. passes upwardly through a pulley c at the top of post C, thence about a guide-pulley d at the extremity of arm D, and thence down to a fixed connection at h. The end clips E of the barrier are connected with the elastic line at a suitable point between the two pulleys c and d.

It is best to make the extremity connections at g and h readily-detachable ones, by means ofthe snap-hooks g and h, in order that in movingfrom track to track it may be easy to carry the elastic lines about and fit them to the fixtures at different tracks.

In the arrangement ot' the arms D on posts C the best effects can be had by so placing the arms that their vertical planes will be inclined to those of the posts, the angle being such as to throw the arms slightly forward of `the posts-that is, toward the barrier--thus making the angle between the arms and posts on the barrier side an acute one. This will tend to make the effect of the springs H a relatively quicker and stronger one, causing them to exert their effect to stretch the barrier the moment it is released. It is also best to place the arm D a littleA below the top of post C, thereby causing the tightening-springs II to exert their maximum effect against the final power of the springs G in forcing the barrier to the top of the posts.

The tripping mechanism may be of any suitable character. For the sake of illustration merely I have here shown the triggers I as controlled by trip-levers K, which are connected by the rods, wires, and bell-cranks (represented generally by to work in unison.

In Fig. 4 I show a slight modification in the way in which the barrier is carried. In this case the barrier ends are secured to rings L, which may slide freely upon the springs G, but rest normally against the clips E, which engage the triggers. This arrangement is to permit the barrier to give freely when run against by a jockey unintentionally, for in such case the rings will slip on the springs; but when the gate is tripped the clips E will carry the rings and barrier up with them as the springs retract.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining it in, and releasing it from its operative position across the track, an upwardly-acting spring connected with each end of the barrier, to draw said barrier to an elevated position, and laterally-acting springs connected with the barrier ends, to stretch said barrier while being elevated.

2. In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining it in, and releasing it from its operative position across the track, an upwardly-acting spring connected with each end of the barrier, to cause said barrier to travel upwardly away from and in front o f the horses to an elevated position, and laterally-acting springs con nected with the barrier ends, to stretch said barrier while being elevated.

3. In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining itin, and releasing it from itsoperative position across the track, side posts beyond the barrier, springs leading from the tops of the posts to the barrier ends for elevating the barrier to the posts, and other springs fixed at points outside the track and connect-ed with the barrier ends, to keep the barrier stretched while being elevated.

4. In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining it in, and releasing it from its operative position across the track, side posts beyond the barrier, arms projecting outwardly from said posts, springs leading from the tops of the posts to the barrier ends, to elevate the bar rier, and other springs leading` from the extremities of the post-arms to the barrier ends, to keep the barrier stretched while being elevated.

5. In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining itin, and releasing it from its operative position across the track, side posts beyond the barrier, fixed bearings outside the track, and actuating-springs, consisting of an elastic cord or line extending from fixed points below, over the side posts and fixed bearings, and connected with the barrier ends at points between said posts and bearings.

In a starting-gate, the combination of a free-ended barrier, means for retaining it in, and releasing it from its operative position across the track, side posts beyond the barrier, arms projecting outwardly from said posts, and actuatingsprings, consisting of an elastic cord or line extending from fixed points below, over the side posts andthe extremities ot' the arms and connected with the barrier ends at points between said posts and arms.

7. In a starting-gate, the combination of a barrier having its ends free of fixed guides or slides, and upwardly and laterally acting springs to draw said barrier to an elevated position and to stretch it and keep it stretched during its travel.

S. In a starting-gate, the combination of' a barrier having its ends free of fixed guides or slides, springs acting in lines in the plane of travel of the barrier to draw it to an elevated position, and other springs acting in lines at an angle to the first springs, to stretch the barrierand keepit stretched during its travel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS BARNETT.

I/Vitnesses:

WALTER F. VANE, D. B. RIcHARDs.

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